too big for his crib...

[Alison_3]

Hi,
My 2.5 year old has now exceeded the height limit for his crib.  He's 36 inches tall and weighs 32 lbs.  After 35 inches, they manufacturer no longer recommends using the crib.  He does look quite confined in there, but I didn't think he was ready for a bed.  I was hoping to keep him in his crib until he's 3...

Anyway, he has one of those covertible cribs that goes to a double bed.  (ds #2 has a "normal" crib...what was I thinking with the convertible?!)  Obviously he's not ready for a double bed so what do I do?  Should I go buy a toddler bed?  What's the purpose if it's the same size mattress?  Just looking for some advice...

We're also going through some terrible bedtime problems and thought maybe a cool new bed would help.  Yes, I might be crazy!

Thanks!

[mari]

Toddler beds are closer to the floor so not so far to fall if they fall out of bed! and will last up to the age of around 7 although I moved Nathan to a proper divan when he was 4.

Perhaps you could compromise and get a bed in between the 2, I'm sure that Mothercare would have a very good range.  You can get all sorts of things to protect them like barriers to attatch to the sides.  You could put a gate on the door just to stop him leaving the room in the middle of the night and falling down the stairs.

[Harvey and Theos Mam]

We bought Harvey a carbed when he was 16 months old to get him out of his cot because he started tossing and turning and hitting the bars. The bed was a hit and we all got a better nights sleep.  However the carbed is the same mattress as a cotbed and i think he was having bad nights because he was getting bigger and needed a proper matress.  So, we went out and bought him a 3ft bed and his sleep got better.

We decided to try Theo in his own room with the carbed the other month and he loved it too.  He was 14 months at the time and hitting his cot bars too, but he was keeping me awake as he was in our room.  Neither boys have ever fallen out of the bed because it is slightly raised.

HTH

[mari]

I've said it before and I'll say it again.  Alex is staying in her cot until she is 21!!
I am so scared to put her in a bed, we have had so many sleep issues and I don't think that I could go through it again.  Whilst she is sleeping through the night in her cot, she stays there.
Will have to get hold of a carpenter to extend the cot for when she gets a bit big!

[Alison_3]

I know, sleep issues are a part of my hesitation, but he's a big boy.  He wakes me in the middle of the night when he crashes into his crib!  I don't know how he sleeps though that.  Ben is really testing the waters...he wants me to stay in his room.  He told me, "It makes me cry when mommy leaves the room."  Why was I so anxious for this boy to talk?

I ended up staying in his room last night .  It's hard for me because I have a 4 month old and he was asleep in the room next door.  I know if I would have tried wi/wo he would have woken his brother up.  What to do...?

We have had lots of success with wi/wo and gradual withdrawal, but it seems every couple of months we start from sqaure one.  Now I have to figure out how to re-train him without waking the baby!

This should be interesting...
Thanks for the replies.  I really appreciate it!

[Harvey and Theos Mam]

Harvey tries it on sometimes too and we have a little fuss from time to time but Theo has gotten used to him and he just goes to sleep regardless.

It is hard when you have a young one because the toddler knows that you would rather keep him quiet and not have him wake the baby.  Also, Harvey has been dry at night since 2.5 yrs and he does get out of bed to use the loo if need be. 
I am so glad that i put both boys in beds at a young age because they didn't get scared of leaving the cot and didn't feel so attached to the bars.

TBH... after H's easiness into a bed we always said that every child we had would bed in a bed at a young age because it was so easy...and Theo was even easier.   Just 3 days napping and he was ready for the night sleeps.

[Harvey and Theos Mam]

And i just wanted to say, don't waste money on a toddler bed if you plan on buying a 3ft bed in about a year unless you are going to put your 4 month old in the toddler bed.  It would be like throwing money away.

Adding picture of Theo so you can see how much of a raise on the bed.

[ks6]

Just a thought (if I was reading things right)--you said #2 is in a "normal" crib.  If the height/weight limit is larger on ds#2's crib, could you put #1 in the normal crib, and move #2 to the convertible crib?